ad discipline been better preserved in the eighth grade
classroom than during that day.

Soon after four o'clock scores of Gridley schoolboys had found
their way to the big vacant field not far from the Central Grammar,
the owner of which permitted its use freely by schoolboy athletes.

The principal of the South Grammar, too, was there, flanked by
rough-and-tumble Ted Teall and the South's baseball delegation.
Captain Ted had to play the Centrals on Saturday, and he wanted
to view their style. Though North Grammar was well represented,
the principal of the school did not appear, being "detained by
pressure of important duties."

"Old Dut will know enough to be here," remarked one of the Central
boys proudly. "Nothing but disaster could keep him from showing
interest in our work."

Cheering was started by a big group of North Grammar boys. A
stage had just been sighted, and this bore the North Grammar's
diamond champions. A few moments later the stage drew up at the
edge of the field, and Hi Martin and his fellows piled out, each
proudly resplendent in showy uniform of red and white, with red
caps and stockings. The North Grammar boys were dandies, and
they appeared to want, everyone to realize the fact. They formed
at the roadside and marched on to the field in step.

"Halt!" commanded Captain Hi Martin. Then he looked around curiously.

"If the Centrals are here yet, why don't they come out of the
crowd and receive us?" inquired Martin rather pompously. His
insinuation that Dick's fellows might be mixed with the crowd was a
slur on the Central boys not possessing uniforms.

"Our fellows are not here yet, but they will be soon, you bet,"
called back a Central boy. "It's only twenty minutes past four."

"Spread out, men, and practice," directed Hi Martin.

"Yah! yah!" jeered a Central boy. "Get all the practice you
can---you'll need it."

"These ragamuffins are pretty full of brag," observed Hi scornfully
to one of his lieutenants.

"They're just the kind of fellows that always do brag," returned
the player addressed. "Their brag will all be gone within a half
an hour. You'll see."

"Yes," agreed Hi thoughtfully. "If we can't trim this crowd to-day,
then they're some wonders at ball. They don't have any idea how
long we've been training in order to give them this trimming."

Some of Hi's players had already spread out over the field, and
were doing some rapid passing. Certainly Hi's fielders promised
w